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The differences between associate software engineers and lead engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an associate software engineer, becoming a lead engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a lead engineer has an average salary of $84,927, which is higher than the $78,981 average annual salary of an associate software engineer.
The top three skills for an associate software engineer include java, python and C++. The most important skills for a lead engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Associate Software Engineer | Lead Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $78,981 | $84,927 |
| Hourly rate | $37.97 | $40.83 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 298,481 | 301,777 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
An associate software engineer is an individual who is responsible for improving existing software or designing new application software. Working under the supervision of a senior software engineer and together with a team of engineering professionals, associate software engineers must be able to code software and ensure that it can run with different types of technology. They must have the technical knowledge and expertise of commanding programming languages such as JAVA, HTML, and CSS. Associate software engineers are also required to assist the QA team in testing the software before it is released to the customers.
A lead engineer's duties vary on their line of work or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities will revolve around overseeing the progress of operations and performance of the workforce, ensuring that everything is running smoothly. They are also responsible for addressing issues and concerns, assessing risks, monitoring the budget, coordinating with clients and architects, and even training workers. Furthermore, as a lead engineer, it is crucial to conduct regular inspections to ensure the quality of work and maintain a safe environment for all workers.
Associate software engineers and lead engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Associate Software Engineer | Lead Engineer | |
| Average salary | $78,981 | $84,927 |
| Salary range | Between $60,000 And $102,000 | Between $60,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Automotive |
There are a few differences between an associate software engineer and a lead engineer in terms of educational background:
| Associate Software Engineer | Lead Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between associate software engineers' and lead engineers' demographics:
| Associate Software Engineer | Lead Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 67.3% Female, 32.7% | Male, 90.8% Female, 9.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 39.6% White, 43.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.8% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 5% |